Facing Fear
by nikstarr
Summary: After the death of Tara, Spike and Buffy team up to try and stop Willow from destroying the world.
1. Chapter 1

**Buffy calmed her jittering nerves as she passed Spike's crypt trying not to even look at it. The dark winds carried howling voices in the night. Buffy could sense a power lurking behind her and she ducked as it tried to give her a blow to the head.**

**The vampire fell into a grave giving Buffy enough time to kick it in the back. It turned around and kicked her back sending her falling backward. The growling grew as it got on top of her trying to choke her to death, "Slayer." It hissed. **

Buffy had always hated the fact that the vampires would always say who she was before she killed them. It bugged her so much. She quickly head butted it and got back up in fighting stance. The vamp tried to punch her in the face but she blocked it and used her knee to punch its stomach then punch it in the face.

**She felt herself being thrown around into another grave and she turned around kicking it to the ground and sticking Mr. Pointy straight through his heart.**

**Buffy stood up wiping the dust off her white shirt. She looked back at Spike's crypt; again feeling her nerves rise up in her. She felt herself drawing nearer to the door. She wanted to run away and never come back there but her hand rapped on the door a few times, completely the opposite of what she had imagined in her mind. In her mind she was already home.**

**The door opened slowly and Spike looked at her in confusion, "Buffy? What's wrong?" A few weeks ago Buffy had dumped him after the incident with Riley and the demon eggs. Spike never thought that Buffy would come back to his crypt but here she was, right in front of him looking at him with sadness and regret.**

**Buffy had come down here to apologize about how she acted with him last night when she snapped at him in the graveyard, "I'm sorry about last night. I was a little harsh. Tara talked about it with me last night."**

**Spike was glad that she was there and was a bit surprised to hear her apologizing to him. "Well, if you wanted to come in. I have T.V. some snacks. You know I have those weetabix."**

**Buffy giggled and nodded in approval. "Sure." Spike let her in and as soon as Buffy had reached the living room memories filled her mind of old times. She shrugged them away and sat down on a couch by the T.V. "So…are you still with that girl?" She asked politely. It did bother her that the girl was with him at the wedding. It made her think horrible thoughts of vengeance and death and she didn't feel like going there again.**

**Spike shook his head, "No. It didn't work out. She wasn't my type." He smiled at Buffy who returned a smile back. He didn't think that they would keep their old chemistry again. In the beginning of the year things were fine between them. He hoped it would be like that again.**

**Buffy played with her thumbs nervously trying to think of something else to say that would sound the least bit normal, "So, I was wondering…if you wanted to…go to the bronze tomorrow night. Willow and Tara are back together and we're throwing them a party there. I mean its not a date if that's what you're thinking I just didn't want to keep pushing you away just because we're not together anymore."**

**Spike raised an eyebrow, "Were we ever together?" He knew she didn't want to think they were. All they did was shag. They never went on dates or officially called themselves each other boyfriend girlfriend. He knew Buffy would never lower herself that far. But it really hurt him to know that she didn't feel the same way he did.**

**Buffy shrugged, "Somewhat together." She admitted knowing they did share a connection when they were with each other. It was enough for her to admit that they were together somehow. They were physically anyway. "You don't have to accept if you don't want to." She added in.**

**Spike smiled trying to hide his sadness at looking at her and knowing he could never be with her again. "I'll go." He wanted to at least be near her again. Even if it didn't mean they would be together.**

**Buffy smiled with relief, "Oh, good. I didn't want you to think I was pushing you away." She met his eyes with respect and understanding. They both stared at each other for a few minutes before there was a knock on the door.**

**Spike glanced towards the door then back at Buffy, "I didn't ask for delivery." He joked and watched Buffy let out a small laugh. Heading towards the door he could tell there was something wrong. He could sense it. Spike opened the door and saw Dawn on the other side, grief filling her face. "Spike!" She gave him a hug. Spike stepped back in confusion. Buffy ran towards the two.**

**She looked at Dawn's face in horror, "What is it Dawn? What happened?" There were tons of things that could have happened but she knew this was something that happened to someone close to her.**

**Dawn let tears pass her cheek, sobbing profusely, "It's Tara she's dead." The fear ran up in Buffy's body and she realized the dread that she had been hoping wouldn't come. Dawn let out the rest of her information, "Warren shot her."**


	2. A Balance of Good and Evil

**Buffy glanced inside Willow's room. She couldn't see anybody at first but as she walked in she stood in horror at the sight of Tara collapsed on the floor with a bullet hole in her stomach. "Oh, God." She clasped her hand over her mouth as she fell to her knees in sobbed Tara."**

**Spike rushed in behind her taking a look at the dead body on the floor. He could feel the pain in his stomach and he was forced to run over to the dead body as well. He held the bawling Buffy and stroked her hair. **

**She fell in a heap of sobs on Spike's shoulder. It was horrible. The whole thing made her want to barf but all she could think about was where Willow went. "I can't believe this is happening." She cried still in Spike's arms. "This is like one huge nightmare!" **

**Spike hushed her, "You shouldn't worry about that, pet. We should be worryin' about red. Where she went? What's she doing? How she's coping? Remember last time something happened to Tara? Willow got all hot for vengeance and the like. If you ask me, she'd probably be doing that right now."**

**Buffy sat up in shock, "Willow wouldn't do magic. She quit remember? She knew it was too dangerous to start up again so she quit." In her mind she knew Spike was probably right but she didn't want to believe that. She didn't want to believe anything that was happening.**

**Spike nodded, "True but the girl doesn't think straight when she's hurt. And since it's Tara…she'd most likely do anything to get her revenge."**

**Buffy nodded as she took in what he said. Maybe it was true. Willow could be looking for Warren right that minute. "Then we have to stop her. You know, try to explain to her about what she's dealing with."**

**Spike raised an eyebrow as he smirked, "Right, then we'll all have a nice little party and everyone will live happily ever after." He couldn't believe Buffy would actually try and do the little peace speech. It never worked, "We're not gonna get anywhere with you publicizing the Miss Beauty Pageant speech to her."**

**"I'm not saying…" She paused after realizing that her idea of peacemaking would be a little pointless. "I don't know what to do. This whole night has gone by way too slowly and dreadfully that I'm not even thinking right. It's just since Tara's dead; Willow will go straight for the attacker. She'll kill Warren."**

**"Good." A voice from behind them made them turn their heads. Dawn stood in the doorway her eyes drenched in tears, her arms folded weakly in front of her diaphragm. "He deserves to die." Her voice strained the gut-wrenching words out of her mouth.**

**Buffy looked at her in amazement, "Dawn. You don't mean that." She knew Dawn was mad about what happened but she never thought that she would want to kill someone for it, like Willow could be.**

**Dawn sniffled as she walked with her arms still folded, "You don't think he deserves it? He should die! He took an innocent life!" She screamed to her sister, begging for her to actually listen to her for once. It was all she wanted. She wanted to be heard. This time, her words meant a whole lot.**

**Buffy shook her head, "Warren's a human. She shouldn't kill him. We don't kill humans in this world. It's not right."**

**Dawn shot back, "And this is? Warren killed Tara! Is Tara not human?" She could feel her body getting hotter and hotter. Her face felt like an oven as the tears continued to cascade down her cheek. "She didn't deserve to die!" She shouted.**

**Buffy nodded, feeling her sister's pain. "I know Dawnie. But sometimes there are bad people in the world who alter the balance of good and evil and they pay the price sooner or later by going in jail. I would love to see him pay but not in that way." She stood up and walked over to her sister trying really hard to make her feel better, "Dawnie, if we send Warren to jail the police would have him in there for life or they would execute him. If we don't send Warren to jail and let Willow kill him…she'll have that burden for the rest of her life. Willow will wake up day realizing that she killed a man and she'll have to live with that for the rest of her life. I don't want to see her like that. And I'm sure you don't either." She explained.**

**Dawnie took a few deep breaths thinking over her sister's speech. It did make sense, "I just want him dead." She cried as the tears welled up on the bottom of her eyelid and burst out again.**

**Buffy held Dawn close to her, stroking the back of her hair. "I know Dawnie. I do too." **

**Spike stood up, "Well, not to break the hallmark moment but we should call the hospital. Have them take Tara away to the morgue." Spike suggested before picking up the telephone.**

**Buffy let go of Dawn and smiled at her before wiping away the tears on her sister's cheek. "I'll call Spike." She said before making her way to the phone and dialing the number.**


End file.
